1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable electronic apparatus having a function of preparing a plurality of data files and provided with means for inputting and displaying data.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic apparatus such as a personal computer, a word processor, etc. is provided with data file preparing means for preparing data files according to predetermined forms. For example, forms for preparing telephone directories, schedules, reports, handwritten memos, etc. are stored in the memory in advance and data files based on the respective forms are prepared. Moreover, with a view to improving conveniences of an electronic appapratus, the apparatus is provided with a so-called pasting function for inserting a data file prepared according to the form of a telephone directory in a data file prepared according to the form of a schedule, for example. The data file submitted to pasting is displayed, for example, on means for displaying provided on the electronic apparatus.
FIG. 35 is a plan view indicating an example of a display image 121 which appears when a data file submitted to pasting is displayed. It shows an example of a display image in the case where a data file named "Fax transmission" is prepared according to the form for preparing reports and a data file named "Guide map" prepared according to the form for preparing handwritten memos is pasted in that data file. The data file "FAX transmission" is composed of character data such as character codes, etc. while the data file "Guide map" is constituted by image data such as manually inputted map, etc. It is difficult to prepare such character data and image data with a single data file preparing means and, therefore, separate data files are prepared by using separate data file preparing means and then insertion of data is made with a pasting function as mentioned above.
On an electronic apparatus provided with a comparatively large screen such as a personal computer, a word processor, etc., a display image 121 in which the display image 123 of the data file "Guide map" is inserted in the display image 122 of the data file "FAX transmission" is displayed as shown in the drawing. The data file submitted to pasting is newly stored in the memory as a single data file.
Moreover, an electronic apparatus provided with a comparatively large screen such as a personal computer, a word processor and the like is provided with means for inputting data such as a keyboard, etc. and input is made from a plurality of keys provided on the keyboard. On the other hand, on a portable electronic apparatus such as a electronic pocket notebook, etc., inputting means such as a tablet, a touch panel, or the like are provided by accumulation on top of the displaying means instead of the keyboard to miniaturize the apparatus. A plurality of images (hereinafter referred to as "keys") corresponding to the kinds of processes performed by the apparatus are displayed on the displaying means, and the operator carries out inputting by touching the input surface of the inputting means corresponding to the keys with a given input pen. When the input surface of the inputting means corresponding to the displayed keys is touched by the input pen, the touched position is detected and the process corresponding to the displayed key including the touched position is executed.
Furthermore, some types of electronic apparatus using a tablet, a touch panel or the like, enable input of handwritten characters. Characters inputted in handwriting are once stored as image data, recognized as characters according to a prescribed procedure and then stored in memory as a code indicating recognized characters. An example of such electronic apparatus is disclosed, for example in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JPA 4-96886 (1992).
On an electronic apparatus provided with a comparatively small screen, it is difficult to make displays similar to those of a large electronic apparatus from the viewpoint of visibility, etc. and, for that reason, a display image displayed on a large electronic apparatus is split for showing. The same is true with the display of a data file submitted to pasting as mentioned above and the display image 121 as shown in FIG. 35 is displayed in a state of being split into several areas. For example, in the case where only the display image 122 of the data file "Guide map" is displayed here, a data file prepared by using another data file preparing means is displayed in spite of the fact that the data file preparing means for preparing reports is being executed. This spoils the consistency of display and produces an inconvenience that the operator just looks at the display image but cannot recognize the data file preparing means under execution, thus leading to a problem of poor operability of the electronic apparatus.
Moreover, on an electronic apparatus using tablet or touch panel, there are cases where the keys displayed on the displaying means are fixed and that the displayed keys are unnecessary depending on the content of execution of the electronic apparatus. If any unnecessary keys are displayed, the visibility drops because the display area available for the indication of data other than keys is reduced. In addition, it also causes a problem of reduced display area for each key, remarkably spoiling the operability of the electronic apparatus.
Furthermore, given as methods for recognizing characters are a method that characters are input one by one and the individual characters are recognized each time when they are input and a method that inputting all characters are input and then the characters in specified areas are recognized. With the former, in which individual characters are recognized each time when they are input, it is difficult to continuously input characters. Though continuous input of characters is possible if they are stored only as image data, complicated data processing becomes necessary for utilizing such image data with some other function. On the other hand, the latter enables continuous input of characters and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 4-96886 (1992) corresponds to the latter. The official gazette describes an example of recognition of characters made by specifying the area for each character after inputting all characters. In this example, there is an inconvenience that the area for recognition of characters must be specified for each character. It also produces another inconvenience that no recognition of characters can be made if the area specified for the input characters is improper.